were not asleep at so concerning a Sermon 6. Again 2 Cor. 5. v. 8. We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord. Here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainly intimates a going out of this Mortal Body not a change of it into an Immortal one therefore we may safely conclude that this courage and willingness of the Apostle to die implies an enjoyment of the presence of Christ after death before the general Resurrection Else why should he rather desire to die then to live but that he expects that Faith should be presently perfected by Sight as he insinuates in the foregoing verse But assuredly better is that enjoyment which is onely by Faith then to have no enjoyment at all as it must be if the Soul cannot operate out of this Body 7. A like Proof to this and further Confirmation of the Truth is that of Philipp 1.21 22 23 24. where the Apostle again professing his courage and forwardness to magnifie Christ in his body whether by life or by death uses the like Argument as before For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain But if I live in the flesh it will be worth my labour yet what I should chuse I wote not For I am in a strife betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needfull for you 8. The genuine sense of which Place is questionless this That while he lived his life was like Christ's upon Earth innocent but encumbred with much hardship and affliction bearing about in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus but if he died he should then once for all seal to the Truth of his Martyrdome and not onely scape all future troubles which yet the love of Christ his Assistance and Hope of Reward did ever sustain him in but which was his great gain and advantage arrive to an higher fruition of him after whom he had so longing a desire But if to be with Christ were to sleep in his bosome and not so much as to be sensible he is there it were impossible the Apostles affections should be carried so strongly to that state or his judgement should determine it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so exceedingly much better especially his stay in the flesh being so necessary to the Philippians and the rest of the Church and what he suffered and might further suffer in his life no less a Testimony to the Truth then Death it self 9. Fourthly Those phrases of S. Peter 2 Pet. 1.13 Yea I think it meet so long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up and put you in remembrance Knowing that I must shortly put off this Tabernacle c. And so vers 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all likelyhood alludes to the same as if his Soul went out of the Body as out of a Tabernacle All these Phrases I say seem to me manifestly to indicate that there is no such necessary Union betwixt the Soul and the Body but she may act as freely out of it as in it as men are nothing the more dull sleepy or senseless by putting off their cloaths and going out of the house but rather more awakened active and sensible 10. Fifthly Hebr. 12. There God is called the Father of Spirits the Corrector and Chastiser of our Souls in contradistinction to our Flesh or Bodies and then vers 22. lifting us up quite above the consideration of our Corporeal condition he brings us to the Mystical mount Sion the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the Universal assembly and Church of the first-born which are inrolled in heaven and to God the Iudge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect Now I demand what Perfection can be in the Spirits of these just men to be overwhelmed in a senseless Sleep or what a disproportionable and unsutable representation is it of this throng Theatre in Heaven made up of Saints and Angels that so great a part of them as the Souls of the Holy men deceased should be found drooping or quite drown'd in an unactive Lethargie Certainly as it is incongruous in it self so it is altogether inconsistent with the magnificency of the representation which this Author intends in this place 11. Sixthly Matth. 10.28 The life of the Soul separate from the Body is there plainly asserted by our Saviour Fear not them that kill the Body but are not able to kill the Soul but rather fear him who is able to destroy both Body and Soul in Hell i. e. able if he will to destroy the life both of Body and Soul in Hell-fire according to the conceit of those whose opinions I have recited in my Treatise Of the Immortality of the Soul Book 3. chap. 18. or else miserably to punish or afflict both Body and Soul in Hell the torments whereof are worse then Death it self For as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and perire signifie to be excessively miserable so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and perdere may very well signifie to make excessively miserable But now for the former part of the verse but are not able to kill the Soul it is evident that they were able if the Soul could not live separate from the Body For killing of the Body what is it but depriving it of life wherefore if the Soul by the death of the Body be also deprived of life it is manifest that she can be killed which is contrary to our Saviour's Assertion CHAP. X. 1. A pregnant Argument from the State of the Soul of Christ and of the Thief after death 2. Grotius his explication of Christ's promise to the Thief 3. The meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. How Christ with the Thief could be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Paradise at once 5. That the Parables of Dives and Lazarus and of the unjust Steward implie That the Soul hath life and sense immediately after death 1. WE have yet one more notable Testimony against our Adversaries Our Saviour Christ's Soul and the Thief 's upon the Cross did subsist and live immediately upon the death of the Body as appears from Luke 23.42 43. And he said unto Iesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome And Iesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise As if he should thus answer Thou indeed beggest of me that I would be mindfull of thee when I come into my Kingdome but I will not deferre thee so long onely distrust not the unexpected riches of my goodness to thee For verily I say unto thee That this very day shalt thou be with me in Paradise And there is no evasion from this Interpretation the Syriack as Grotius noteth interpointing betwixt I say unto thee and Today and all the Greek copies as Beza affirmes joyning
Example of Good and a Reprover of Evil to all the Orders of Intellectual Beings that are peâ—cable and mutable and of so generall a kindness and compassion to all rational Souls that he could dy a most shameful and bitter death to reduce them from their rebellion and confederacy with the Kingdome of darkness to return to the Kingdome of God this person I say whose influence is so great upon all is fit to be made Head over all according as himself has declared To me is given all power in Heaven and in Earth Whence it is plain that there is none save God himself above him at whose right hand he fits and intercedes for his Church 7. Which is the last thing I propounded His Intercession upon which I need make no stay there being no difficulty at all in it but a very great congruity and such as is incompetible to any Angel as I have already intimated The Author to the Hebrews takes notice of it Chap. 4. For we have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Who therefore must needs prove a very compassionate and potent Intercessour for us with his Father not onely for forgiveness of sins but for all needfull supplies of grace and assistance to his Church Militant here on Earth 8. Thus we have seen how in the Birth Passion Ascension and Intercession of Christ is comprehended a full and warrantable completion of those four notable parts of the Pagan Religion which relates to their Heroes to their Catharmata their Apotheoses and Intercessions of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Dii Medioxumi For what they were naturally groping after and mistaken in in these points all that is rectified here and made lawfull and allowable nay meritorious and effectual for both present and future happiness I mean in Christ Iesus all businesses betwixt God and us being to pass through his hands if we look for grace and success Which accommodation contriv'd by the wisdome of God was of very great virtue for the bringing of the Nations of the World to close with the Truth of the Gospel they being invited to that upon good grounds which their blind propensions carried them out to in a way of errour and mistake CHAP. VII 1. That there is nothing in the History of Apollonius that can properly answer to Christ's Resurrection from the dead 2. And that his passage out of this life must go for his Ascension concerning which reports are various but in general that it was likely he died not in his bed 3. His reception at the Temple of Diana Dictynna in Crete and of his being called up into Heaven by a Quire of Virgins singing in the Aire 4. The uncertainty of the manner of Apollonius his leaving the World argued out of Philostratus his own Confession 5. That if that at the Temple of Diana Dictynna was true yet it is no demonstration of any great worth in his Person 6. That the Secrecy of his departure out of this world might beget a suspicion in his admirers that he went Body and Soul into Heaven 7. Of a Statue of Apollonius that spake and of his dictating verses to a young Philosopher at Tyana concerning the Immortality of the Soul 8. Of his Ghost appearing to Aurelian the Emperour 9. Of Christ's appearing to Stephen at his martyrdome and to Saul when he was going to Damascus 1. WE have spoken of the Birth Life Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ we will come to the Three last things we propounded when we have briefly considered what in Apollonius is parallel to Christ's Resurrection and Ascension For there is alwaies some glance or other in his Life at the most notable passages in our Saviour's But I can finde nothing that must go for Apollonius his Resurrection from the dead but his escaping out of the hands of Domitian which danger was so great that all men took him for a dead man But what a whifling business it was and a mere piece of Magical ostentation I have already noted 2. His real passage therefore out of this World must go for his Ascension as his escape out of that desperate danger for his Resurrection But the reports concerning his departure are various some affirming that at a full Age being fourscore or an hundred year old he died at Ephesus But it seems not likely Philostratus professing that he had travailed the greatest part of the habitable world to enquire of his Sepulchre and that he could hear no news of it any where But so grave and divine a person as Apollonius was reputed could not fail to be honoured with a very pompous Funeral and sumptuous Monument whereever he happened to dy he being so famously known over all the World wherefore it is likely that he did not dy as they say in his bed but in some solitude either by a sudden surprizal of death or on set purpose as Empedocles who cast himself into the flames of Aetna that he might be thought what Apollonius professed himself before Domitian an Immortal God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Others report that having entred into the Temple of Minerva at Lindus in Rhodes he suddenly disappeared before the people and went no man knows whither Others affirm that he left this mortal life in Crete where approaching the Temple of Diana Dictynna the doors flew open of themselves to the admiration of the Keepers of the Temple who suspected him for a sacrilegious Enchanter in that the fierce Mastives that kept the Treasury fawned on him with more kindness and familiarity then on them that fed them Wherefore the Sextons bound Apollonius with fetters to secure the Treasury but about midnight he set himself free and calling the guards by their names that they might not think he would steal away privately he went to the door of the Temple which as I said opened of it self and when he had entred in shut of it self again Whereupon were heard voices from Heaven as it were of young girles singing melodiously and chanting forth a Stanza to this sense Come from the Earth come leap hither up to Heaven mount from the earth on high 4. But concerning this History of his leaving of the World two things are observable First that Philostratus does invalidate his Narration by varying the story so much as he does For he professing that he made it his business to enquire of this matter travailing most part of the habitable world for his better satisfaction and not determining which of these three reports is the truest it is a sign that he was not ascertained of the truth of any of them but that his end may be such as I at first intimated 5. But suppose the last and most glorious of these Three stories was the truest yet Apollonius his credit is much obscured by parting thus in the night though we allow him a moon-shine
end So that the completion of all the Prophets ends in the Triumph of Familism the same which David George boasted of himself See also chap. 15. sect 5. Lastly in his Evangely chap. 35.8 Behold in this same day namely of the Love is the Resurrection of the Lords dead come to pass through the appearing of the coming of Christ in his Majesty according to the Scriptures And a little after sect 9. In which resurrection of the dead God sheweth unto us that the time is now fulfilled that his dead or the dead that are fallen asleep in the Lord rise up in this day of his judgement and appear unto us in Godly glory which shall also henceforth live in us everlastingly with Christ and reign upon the Earth Of which the plain sense is That the Souls deceased so many hundred years agoe are alive again in these of the Family of Love and shall reign everlastingly in them with the Mystical Christ on the Earth Which plainly excludes that other Iudgement or Resurrection in the Literal sense as I said before Again chap. 4. sect 15. For this cause our hope standeth now in this day very little on many of the Inhabitants of the world but we hope with joy much more on the appearing of the dead that die in the Lord or are dead in him to wit that they in their resurrection from the death shall livingly come unto and meet with us For all the dead of the Lord and members of Christ shall now live and rise with their Bodies and we shall assemble us with them and they with us to one body in Iesus Christ into one lovely Being of the Love and be altogether concordable in the Love and peace of Iesus Christ. CHAP. XVII 1. His perverse Interpretation of that Article of the Creed concerning Life everlasting 2. His misbelief of the Immortality of the Soul proved from his forcible wresting of the most pregnant Testimonies thereof to his Dispensation and Ministry here on Earth 3. Their interpreting of the Heavenly Body mentioned 2 Cor. 4. and the unmarried state of Angels to the signification of a state of this present Life 4. That H. Nicolas as well as David George held there were no Angels neither good nor bad 5. Further Demonstrative Arguments that he held the Soul of man mortall 6. How sutable his laying aside of the Person of Christ is to these other Tenets 7. That H. Nicolas as highly as he magnifies himself is much below the better sort of Pagans His irreverent apprehension of the Divine Majesty if he held that there was any thing more Divine then himself 1. FInally as for that Article of the Creed concerning Life everlasting his exposition is this We confess that the same everlasting life is the true Light of men and that God hath made and chosen him the man thereto that he should live in the same light everlastingly Where by him the man he means the succession of mankind as any one may know that is but a little acquainted with his manner of writing and by everlasting life and the true light of men he means the Light of the Love and the Service thereof which he presages shall abide for ever Which therefore he cals the house of God's dwelling the eternal rest of his holy ones the everlasting fast-standing Ierusalem the true and indisturbable kingdome full of all Godly Power Ioy and of all heavenly Beautifulness wherein the land of the Lord with fulness of Eternal life and lively sweetness is sung from everlasting to everlasting With such sweet Charms and pleasing enchantments does this grand Deceiver lull asleep his little ones into an utter oblivion and perfect misbelief of those precious Promises of Everlasting Happiness made to us by Christ who hath brought Life and Immortality to light 2. For that there is with no other Life but this nor any Immortality of the Soul or blessed Resurrection which consists in the Soul 's being invested with an Heavenly and Spiritual body according to the plain and literal sense of Scripture his gross abuse of those two main proofs thereof 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes. 4. do plainly demonstrate which he does wildly distort as he doth the rest of the Scripture to a mere prediction of his Service of the Love in which he will have every thing of the last Day and of the Resurrection fulfilled that we may be sure that there is nothing else to be expected but this For in this the last trump sounds Christ appears in the Heavens being come to judgement those very Saints that in time past died and fell asleep in the Lord are now raised up in glory and that with their bodies and livingly come unto and meet with us according to that in 1 Thes. 4. and lastly these raised Saints that is the Family of Love shall thus reign with their mystical Christ upon earth for ever world without end What interpretation of Scripture can more accurately and radically take away all expectation of Christs personal coming to Judgement and the hope of a Blessed Immortality included therein by the resurrection of the dead then this of this bold Author Which we may be the better assured he intends in that his applications are so miserably forced and yet he has no better proofs then these for the ratifying of his Service of the Love For if he thought they did signifie that which all Christians think they do he could fancy no force at all in them for the establishing of his Doctrine but the orthodox meaning seeming to him utterly incredible makes him confident that he has found out the right sense if he deal bonâ fide and takes not the Scripture for a mere Fable which he may abuse as he pleases 3. For we may observe him using the same industry in eluding the force of such places as are plain for an Immortal state after this life even there where he may seem unconcerned if he held the Soul of man Immortal As that 2 Cor. 5. where the Promise of the Heavenly or Spiritual body is evidently set down as appears further out of the last verses of the precedent chapter and yet these Familists are not ashamed to expound it of the most holy of the true Tabernacle in their canting language whereby they mean the perfection of the Love a state in this life as you may see in their Mirabilia Dei. And in the Spiritual Land of peace That which is writ Luk. 20.35 concerning the children of the Resurrection that they are neither married nor given in marriage but are as the Angels of God he applies to the state of the Service of the Love and makes it fulfilled in his life Which is an Allegory so cross and crooked that nothing but an unbelief of the literal sense could ever have put a man upon the framing of it besides that scurvy intimation it bears along with it of community of wives the very same doctrine that David George is said to
own Prejudice Of which violence they do thereto they cannot well be sensible they thinking they have full commission to distort it into any posture rather then to let it alone in that which so plainly points to a Mystery which they hold impossible and self-contradictious For so has their bold and blind reasoning concluded aforehand concerning the Trinity and Divinity of Christ. But to those that are indifferent this Text bears such evidence with it that it cannot but settle their belief 2. For why should the Euangelist omit the manner of Christ's Birth as he was Man but that he was intent upon his Eternal Generation as he was God Or why should he not call him by that name that was given him at his Circumcision or by the name of Crist or the Messias who was a Person expected in time but that his thoughts were carried back to that of him which was from all Eternity Nor is it imaginable that he should be here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of Iesus or Christ unless there were some valuable Mystery in it which the learned easily unriddle from Iewish Interpreters they speaking often of The Word of the Lord as an Hypostasis distinguishable from God and yet that by which he created Adam and the rest of the Creatures And for my own part I make no question but that the Greek Philosophers as Pythagoras and Plato had not onely their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the whole Mystery of their Trinity from the Divine Traditions amongst the Jews Philo the Jew speaks often of this Principle in the Godhead calling it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and attributes unto it the Creation of the World as also the Healing of the diseases of our Mindes and the Purging of our Souls from sins insomuch that this Author might be a good Commentator upon this first Chapter of S. Iohn 3. Wherefore there being this Notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst the Jews to which the Creation and Government of the World is attributed the same also being done here what can be more likely then that S. Iohn means the very same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Creator and Governor of all Which the very Phrase and Posture of things will yet further confirme For assuredly this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Gospel is the same with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first Epistle of S. Iohn and what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the same Epistle will explicate chap. 2.14 I write unto you Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because you have known the Eternal and Christ by the Prophet Esay is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Eternal Father For that is the most proper meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as appears Esay 57.15 Thus saith the high and lofty one who inhabits Eternity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inhabiting Eternity Nor is it incongruous for the same Being to be the Son of God and the Father and Governour of all the Creatures And the Prophet Micah chap. 5. prophesying of Christ describes him thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His emanations are from the Beginning from the dayes of Eternity Which agrees well with what Christ professes of himself Iohn 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for if he was before Abraham there is little question but he was before all things and that of the Psalmist is but his due attribute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before the mountains were brought forth or the Earth was formed even from everlasting to everlasting Thou art God And now for the Posture of things after the Evangelist has twice asserted That he was from the beginning that you may not mistake and think he means the beginning of his Ministry as the Messiah he tells you according to the Doctrine of the Jews That all things were created by him and at the tenth verse that you may have no subterfuge he sayes That even that world that was made by him knew him not which excludes all Moral and Mystical interpretations and shews plainly that wicked men though not their wickedness are his Creation and consequently all the world besides And the Author to the Hebrews is a farther witness of this Truth citing that of the Psalmist concerning the Son of God Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the Earth and the Heavens are the work of thy hands There is yet another argument of the Divinity of Christ which I need not prove it being acknowledged even by our Adversaries and it is Religious worship due to him which I conceive is due to none but God 4. The Holy Trinity and Divinity of Christ we have hitherto proved out of the Scriptures and might adde many places more but the Reason and Nature of the thing it self shall be the last Confirmation That Christ is to be worshipped is acknowledged of all hands But to worship one that is not God is to relapse into the ancient rites of the Pagans who were Men-worshippers and eaters of the sacrifices of the dead For Iupiter Belus Bacchus Vulcan Mercurius Osiris and Isis and the rest of the Gods of the Heathen what were they but mere men whose Benefactions extorted divine honours from Superstitious posterity after their Death Wherefore Christ ought not to be a mere man but God that is he ought to be really and physically united to the Deity it being present not by Assistance onely but by Information that as Body and Soul are one Man so God and Man may be one Christ. But if there were no Trinity but One Hypostasis in the Deity and the Humanity of Christ thus joyn'd with it How could he be a Sacrifice for sin there being none beside himself to whom he should be offer'd or How could he be sent by another when there is none other to send him and the Son of God out of the bosome of his Father could not be said to suffer but he that is offended to be sacrificed to pacifie himself which things are very absurd and incongruous But you 'l say the Absurdity still remains in the Second Hypostasis For was not Sin as contrary to Him as to the First and Third and consequently He as much offended and therefore He dying in our nature was sacrificed to pacify Himself In answer to this I admit that all Three Hypostases were alike offended at Sin and withall alike compassionate to Sinners Which Compassion was in the Deity towards Mankind before the Incarnation and Death of Christ. But the formal Declaration and visible Consignation of this Reconcilement was by Christ according as he is revealed in the Gospel whose Transactions in our behalf are nothing else but a sweet and kind Condescension of the Wisdome of God in this Mystery accommodating himself to our humane capacities and properties to win us off in a kindly was to Love and Obedience And
the holy place every year with bloud of others For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the World But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself And as it is appointed unto men once to die but after this the judgement So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation To which you may adde that of Peter For Christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God And 1 John 2.1 If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the Righteous and he is a propitiation for our sins And if he was so in S. Iohn's time why not alwaies Furthermore Romans 5.6 For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly He saies not by the ungodly but for the ungodly which therefore cannot be allegorized but into Nonsense Like that verse 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son Is any one reconciled by killing the Holy Life the Mystical Christ in him Wherefore it is plain that in S. Paul's time the Humane Person of Christ was the high Priest who was an Atonement with God by the sacrifice of himself And God has not declared any where that he has or ever will put him out of his Office till his coming again to Iudgement when he shall appear the second time without sin unto Salvation as you heard out of the Author to the Hebrews that is When he shall not bring his sin-offering with him viz. an earthly mortal body capable of Crucifixion but shall appear as a glorious Judge to complete Salvation to all them that truely believe in him and expect his joyful coming at what time he shall finish the Redemption of our Bodies and translate us to his everlasting Kingdome in Heaven 2. And that this Office of a Iudge is assured to his Humane person is plain from what we recited out of the Acts namely That God has given assurance to all men that he will judge the world by the man Jesus in that he has raised him so miraculously from the dead Which is that very Son of man that shall appear on his throne accompanied with his Angels Matth. 25. And assuredly none will deny but that he who sitteth at the right hand of God will come thence to judge the quick and the dead But it is this crucified Iesus that for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God Hebr. 12.2 To which truth S. Peter also witnesseth in the Acts. Where that very Iesus whom the Jews delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate is said to be received into Heaven until the time of Restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets since the World began This implies that at the utmost fulfilling of the Periods of time he will again appear and finish the Mysterie of Righteousness and perfect Salvation to his people at the last according as he has promised John 6. No man can come to me except the Father which has sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day Which certainly is to be understood of his Humane person forasmuch as for that very cause he has made him Judge of Life and Death as appears Chap. 5. ver 26. For as the Father hath life in himself so likewise he hath given to the Son to have life in himself and hath given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of man Now when he saith No man can come to me except the Father draw him it is manifest that by the Father is meant the Eternal hidden Deity whose workings and preparations within every mans Soul fit him to join with Christ's humane person the visible Head of the Church of God otherwise if by Christ were here understood the Eternal Word it would not be good sense For that is that which draws not the thing drawn to in this place Again whereas he saies He will raise him up at the last day it is evident that it is not morally or mystically to be understood but literally otherwise it could not be defer'd till the last day but should be done in this Life Nor can it be understood of the day of the service of the Love For then the sense would be That they that believed on Christ some sixteen hundred years agoe should become Familists now or rather some others for them which Promises are insipid and ridiculous Wherefore it is this Son of man to whom God hath also given power to execute judgment And the very same certainly is he that is represented on the great white Throne from whose face the Earth and Heaven fled away Rev. 20. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Bookes were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in those Books according to their works And the Sea gave up the dead which were in it and Death and Hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their works And Death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire Hell i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here the Region of the dead and the whole frame and phrase of the matter here contain'd doth so plainly import that the Judgment is concerning those that are dead whether drowned in the Sea or buried in their Graves or in whatever other circumstances quitted this mortal life that this truth of Christ's visible coming to Judgment cannot be concealed or eluded by any Allegorical fetches whatsoever 3. Nor have our inconsiderate Adversaries any thing to alledge for their rebellious despising of the Humane person of Christ unless two or three grosly-mistaken places of Scripture Such as Hebr. 11. v. 26. where Moses is said to esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures in Aegypt and Chap. 13. v. 8. Iesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Out of which passages they phansie to themselves such a Christ only as was as well in Moses's time as now and was ever the same from the beginning of the World and ever will be But they plainly in these Texts raise Mountains of Molehills For the simple and genuine sense of the former is nothing but this That Moses bare such reproaches as Christ and the firm professors of Christ bear which he uses as an argument of Patience to the Hebrews from the example of Moses unless you will interpret the place upon the supposition of Christ being the Prefect of Israel before his
describe So that according to this Supposition we will of our own accord acknowledge that several and those of the most eminent Prophecies that characterize the Person of Christ did first touch upon some other Person which was but a fainter Resemblance of him But that after this glance they are carried to their main scope they drive at where they pierce and are fixt as an arrow stuck in the mark 3. Now this Reference is of two sorts either a Perfect Allegorie or Mixt. That I call a Perfect Allegorie when all the expressions concerning the Person first spoke of do very well and naturally fit him but may be interpreted and that more exquisitely it may be of some more illustrious Person that comes after Such Allusions as these are used by the Apostles and Evangelists to the great confirmation of our Faith however the Iews are scandalized at it For there can be no other sense of it then this viz. That either these Interpretations which they put upon the Prophets were the known Interpretations of the Iews and therefore very accommodate to perswade the Iews by and it was a sign they were right Interpretations they being made before prejudice had blinded them Or else that these Expositions were their own that is that they arose in their own minds first which was impossible they should they being but Allusions unless the certain knowledge of what hapned to our Saviour Christ had put them upon it So that those allusive Proofs are to us strong Confirmations that the History of the Gospel in those things that seem most incredible is certainly true I will content my self with that one instance though I might alledge many others of Christ's being born of a Virgin Certainly unless they had known that de facto he was so or that their wise men had interpreted that of Isaiah Chap. 7. to that sense it is incredible that they should ever alledge that place for it and they making no use of any other but this which is only allusory it is plain the certainty of the Event was that which cast them upon the Interpretation 4. I call a Mixt Allegorie that which is partly allusoric as being applicable first to some more inferiour Person whether King Prophet or Priest and then to the Messiah and partly simple and express not applicable to any but the Messiah himself the Prophet being so actuated by the Spirit of God that in the sublimity of that divine Heat he is in his sense and expressions reach out further then the Person that is the Type and strike into such Circumstances that are not at all true but in the Antitype And these Predictions of this nature concerning the Messiah are as Demonstrative to those that are not intolerable Cavillers as if the Prophecie had been wholly carried to the Messiah without glancing or touching upon any other Person 5. These things being premised let us return to Isaiah and peruse his whole Prophecie that we may the more accurately judge thereof Chap. 53. 1. Who hath believed our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed 2. For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground he hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him 3. He is despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not 4. Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted 5. But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed 6. All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all 7. He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth he is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth 8. He was taken from prison and from judgement and who shall declare his generation for he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgressions of my people was he stricken 9. And he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death because he had done no violence neither was deceit in his mouth 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his Soul an offering for sinne he shall see his seed he shall prolong his daies and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand 11. He shall see of the travel of his Soul and shall be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities 12. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoile with the strong because he hath poured out his Soul unto death and he was numbred with the transgressours and he bare the sinne of many and made intercession for the transgressours 6. The ancient and wisest of the Iews ever interpreted this Chapter of their Messiah And the later Rabbins being convinced of the clearness of the Prophecie and respecting the Authority of those wise Interpreters before them have been some of them forced to acknowledge two Messiahs the one the Son of Ioseph the other of David The former a suffering Messiah the other victorious and triumphant rather then to deny the evidence of this Prophecie Out of which there is also a special Tradition set down in an ancient Book amongst the Iews which is called Pesikta which further confirms our assertion of their interpreting of it concerning the Sufferings of the Messiah How that the Soul of the Messiah was ordained and did gladly accept the condition to suffer from the beginning of the World The Tradition runs thus That when God created the World he put forth his hand under his Throne of Glory and brought forth the Soul of the Messiah and all his Attendants and said unto him Wilt thou heal and redeem my sons after six thousand years He answered he would God said again unto him Wilt thou undergoe the chastisements to purge away their iniquities according as it written it is the Rabbins own application Certè morbos nostros tulit The Soul of the Messiah answered I will undergoe them and that right gladly 7. This is enough to confirm that it was the Opinion of the ancient and unprejudiced Iews That this Prophecie was meant of their Messiah and as I said there is not any one Prophecie so full of Characteristicals of his Person as this though not all of the like Clearness But I dare say no less then these nine are in some sort or other included in it 1. His being rejected by the Jews 2. And
them with the skins of beasts to be worried by dogs others were crucified and others were burnt after day-light to serve in stead of lynks or torches This Persecution was not thirty years after the Passion of Christ. I appeal now to any one if he can think it possible that these that lived so near to that time when Christ was said to be crucified that they might make exact inquiry into the matter I appeal to him if he can think it possible they could expose their lives and fortunes to the hatred and cruelty of the Heathen if they were not most certain that there was such a man that was crucified at Ierusalem and demand further he dying so ignominious a death whether it be again possible that there should not be some extraordinary thing in the Person of Christ to make them adhere to him so after his death with the common hatred of all men and hazard of their lives 7. And therefore Lucian in his Peregrinus does rightly term Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that great man crucified in Palaestine For at least he spoke the opinion of Christ's followers if not his own And the doctrine of the Christians he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the marvellous wisdome of the Christians whom he affirms to renounce the Heathen Deities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to worship their crucified Sophist or their crucified Master and Teacher And in his Philopatris if it be his and if it be not it is not much material being it must be of some Writer coetaneous to him there are some inklings of very high matters in Christianity as of the Trinity of Life Eternal of the Galilean's Ascension into the third Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 walking up the Air into the third Heaven where having learned most excellent matters he renewed us by water Which is likely to be some intimation of the Ascension of Christ into Heaven or else of Paul's being rapt up into the third Heaven though the Narration thereof be depraved And Critias in that Dialogue swears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the son that is from the Father And he and Triephon jearing Divine Providence betwixt them as being set out by the Religious as if things were written in Heaven Critias asketh Triephon if all things even the affairs of the Scythians were written there also To which Triephon answereth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things if so be CHRESTUS be also amongst the Nations All which passages intimate what a venerable Opinion there was spred in the World concerning Christ and that therefore there was some extraordinary worth and excellency in his Person Which Conclusion I shall make use of in its due place 8. In the mean time I shall onely add that mention made of him in Suetonius in Vita Claudii cap. 25. where he is called Chrestus as before in Lucian's Philopatris he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudaeos impulsore Chresto assiduè tumultuantes Româ expulit He expelled the Iews out of Rome they making perpetual tumults by the instigation of Chrestus Which is the highest Record of our Religion that is to be found in prophane Writers and no marvel it reaching so near the Passion of Christ from whence our Religion commenced For the reign of Claudius began about seven years after Christ's Passion and ended within thirteen years And that Christ suffered under Pontius Pilate Tacitus himself gives witness in what we have above recited But a more accurate Chronologie of these things cannot be expected but from them who are more nearly concerned viz. the Christians themselves 9. Iosephus his Testimonie had reached higher in time if we could be assured that what he seemed to write of Christ was not foisted in by some thankless fraud of unconscionable Superstitionists or short-sighted Politicians that could not see that the solidity of Christian Religion wanted not their lies and forgeries to sustain it But for my own part I think it very unlikely that Iosephus being no Christian should write at that rate concerning Christ as he does besides other reasons which might be alledged And therefore for the greater compendium I shall be content to acknowledge that what is found in his Antiquities concerning the crucified Iesus is supposititious and none of his own Which Omission I impute partly to his Prudence and partly to his Integrity For certainly he knowing the affairs of Iesus so well as he did could not in his own judgment and conscience say any thing ill of him more then that he was crucified which was no fault in him but in his unjust and cruel Murderers and simply to have nominated him in his History without saying any thing of him had been a frigid lame business and to have spoke well of him had been ungratefull both to his own Country-men the Iews and also to the Pagans Wherefore it being against his Conscience to vilifie him and revile him and his followers so as the Heathen Historians have done and against his Prudence being not convinced that he was the very Messiah to declare how excellent a person he was it remains that in all likelihood he would play the Politician so far as not to speak of him at all 10. We shall produce but one Testimony more out of Pagan Historians and that is out of Ammianus Marcellinus concerning Iulian's purpose to re-edifie the Temple of Ierusalem that the Iews might sacrifice there according to their ancient manner Which was looked upon to be done more out of envy to the Christians then in love to the Jews and in an affront to that universal and inestimable Sacrifice of the body of Christ once offered upon the Cross which was to cease the Jewish Sacrifices and to put an end to the exercise of the Mosaical ceremonies Ruffinus and Sozomen declare the matter more at large but we shall contain our selves within the recitall of what Ammianus has written lib. 23. near the beginning who being an Heathen puts as fair a gloss upon the Emperour's Action as he could but the Event is plainly enough set down and such as does much confirm the Truth of Christian Religion Julianus imperii sui memoriam magnitudine operum gestiens propagare ambitiosum quondam apud Jerosolymam templum quod post multae internecina certamina obsidente Vespasiano postea Tito agrè est expugnatum instaurare sumptibus cogitabat immodicis negotiumque maturandum Alipio dederat Antiochiensi qui olim Britannias curaverat pro Praefectis Cum itaque rei idem fortiter instaret Alipius juvaretque Provinciae Rector metuendi globi flammarum prope fundamenta crebris assultibus erumpentes fecere locum exustis aliquoties operantibus inaccessum hocque modo elemento destinatiùs repellente cessavit inceptum Julian having a mind to propagate the memorie of his Reign by the greatness of his Acts purposed to rebuild with immense charges that once-stately Temple at Jerusalem which with much adoe after many a bloudy battel was taken after siege
And lastly Porphyrius divides the two Oriental parts of the Zodiack intercepted betwixt the Horizon and Meridian above and below into three equal parts apiece So many waies are there of building Houses or Castles in the Air. 7. That the Erection of a Scheme may foretell right the Fate of the Infant the time of the Birth is to be known exactly For if you miss a degree in the time of the Birth it will breed a years errour in the prognostication if but five minutes a month c. For which purpose also it is a necessary to know the Longitude and Latitude of the place 8. After the Erection of so accurate a Scheme they pretend to be able to foretell the time of the main accidents of mans life and that either by Profection annual and Transition or by Direction The last is the chief and therefore not to fill your eares over-much with the wretched gibberish of Gypsies when I have intimated that the first of the two former run all upon Aspects and that Transition is nothing else but the Passing of a Planet through the places of the Nativity whether its own or of other Planets or of the Horoscope c. I shall force my self a little more fully to define to you out of Origanus the Nature of Direction Which is the invention of the Arch the Aequator which is intercepted betwixt two circles of Position drawn through two places of the Zodiack the one whereof the Significator possesses the other the Promissor and ascends or descends with the Arch of the Ecliptick in the posture of the Sphere given The term from whence the computation is made is the Significator the term to which the Promissor As if Sol be directed to Mars Sol signifies Dignities and Mars the nature of those dignities and the distance of the time is computed by Direction I shall omit to tell you that all the Planets and all the Houses are capable of Direction if we would accurately examine a Scheme But the chiefest Directors or Significators are 1. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Arabians call Hylech from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Emissor or Prorogator vitae 2. The Moon for the Affections of the Mind 3. The Sun even then also when he is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the condition of Life and Dignities 4. The Horoscope for Health and Peregrinations 5. The Medium Coeli for Marriage and procreation of Children 6. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Part of Fortune for increase or decrease of Riches 9. But the chiefest of all is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as respecting Life it self which is directed to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Interfectour or Slayer Which is suppose either some Planet which is present in the eighth house as Saturn or Mars or the Almuten of the eighth house or the Planet join'd to the Almuten or the Almuten of the Planet or the Almuten of the Lord of the eighth house But the huge mystery is and that a sad one that when the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes to the place of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Emissor unto the place of the Interfector then wo be to the brat that ever he was born under so unlucky Starrs for there is no remedie but he must die the death Nor will his Alcochodon or Almuten Hylegii avail him any thing when his Hyleck or Emissor is once come into the hands of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or that Celestial Butcher These are the most fundamental and most solemn Fooleries for so I must call them of their whole Art and I shall now set my self to demonstrate them to be so after I have answered those more general Plausibilities they would countenance themselves by CHAP. XVI 1. That the Starrs and Planets are not useless though there be no truth in Astrology 2. That the Starrs are not the Causes of the Variety of Productions here below 3. That the sensible moistening power of the Moon is no argument for the Influence of other Planets and Starrs 4. Nor yet the Flux and Reflux of the Sea and direction of the Needle to the North Pole 5. That the Station and Repedation of the Planets is an argument against the Astrologers 6. That the Influence attributed to the Dog-star the Hyades and Orion is not theirs but the Sun 's and that the Sun's Influence is only Heat 7. The slight occasions of their inventing of those Dignities of the Planets they call Exaltations and Houses as also that of Aspects 8. Their folly in preferring the Planets before the fixt Starrs of the same appearing magnitude and of their fiction of the first qualities of the Planets with those that rise therefrom 9. Their rashness in allowing to the influence of the Heavenly Bodies so free passage through the Earth 10. Their groundless Division of the Signs into Moveable and Fixt and the ridiculous Effects they attribute to the Trigons together with a demonstration of the Falseness of the Figment 11. A Confutation of their Essential Dignities 12. As also of their Accidental 13. A subversion of their Erection of Themes and distributing of the Heavens into twelve Celestial Houses 14. Their fond Pretenses to the knowledge of the exact moment of the Infants birth 15. A Confutation of their Animodar and Trutina Hermetis 16. As also of their Method of rectifying a Nativity per Accidentia Nati 17. His appeal to the skilfull if he has not fundamentally confuted the whole pretended Art of Astrology 1. WHerefore to their First general Pretence That the very Being of the Starrs and Planets would be useless if there be nothing in the Art of Astrology I answer That though there were certain virtues and influences in every one of them yet it does not follow that they are discovered in their Art and then again That though there were none saving that of Light and Heat in the Fixt Starrs it will not follow that they are useless Because the later and wiser Philosophers have made them as so many Suns which Hypothesis our Astrologers must confute before they can make good the force of their first Argument And for the Planets they have also suggested that they may have some such like use as our Earth has i. e. to be the mother of living Creatures though they have defined nothing concerning the natures of them whereby their opinion becomes more harmless and unexceptionable as it is in it self highly probable Forasmuch as the Earth as well as Saturn Iupiter and the rest moves about the Sun and is as much a Planet as any of them as the best Astronomers doe not at all stick now-adaies to affirm Which does utterly enervate the force of this first general Pretence of the Astrologians 2. To the Second I answer That the Starrs are but Lights of much the same nature as our Sun is only they are further removed so that their contribution is much-what the same And again
rightly either Morall or Divine only tumbling out a Rhapsody of swelling words distorted Allegories and slight allusions to the History of Scripture intermingling them or strinkling them ever and anon with the specious name of Love though there be no motive nor reason that urges the thing it self all the while would give out himself such a Master of this Mystery as that Christianity must be super-annuated and all the devotionall Homage due to our Saviour laid aside all his Offices silenced his Passion slighted nay derided his visible Return to Judgement anticipated and eluded his Resurrection and Ascension misbelieved and the promise of Eternal Life swallowed up in the present glorious enjoyments and enrichments of them that will give up their soundness of judgement and reason to be led about with the May-games and Morrice-dances of that sweet Sect that have usurped to themselves the Title of the Family of Love Whenas the Authour of this Faction as I am well enough informed was more likely to prove a Pimp or second Sardanapalus then a true Instructor of the World in so holy a Mystery being infamous for having suspected Females in his House and living splendidly and deliciously above his rank noted for his crimson-Satten doublet and other correspondent habiliments as also for his large Looking-glass wherein he often contemplated his whole begodded Humanity and composing his long beard and stroaking down his Satten sides might strut in admiration of himself that he found the World so favourable to his false Impostures and lastly ridiculous for his women-Scribes and other such like soft doings not to say impure and obscene All which to any man that has but a moderate nasuteness cannot but import that in the title of this Sect that call themselves the Family of Love there must be signified no other love then that which is merely Natural or Animal though the Preacher of this Love-mystery bears himself so aloft and is so high upon the wing that he cannot phansie himself any thing lesse then that Apocalypticall Angel flying in the midst of Heaven and preaching the everlasting Gospel to the Inhabitants of the World And truly this Gospel of Henry of Amsterdam is likely to be as lasting as the generations of men and I may adde as universall as both Men and Brutes 3. Hear O Heavens and hearken O Earth while I pleade the cause of the just one and despised against the rebellious Hypocrites Thus saith the Lord God Behold I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tried stone a precious corner-stone a sure foundation and he that believes thereon shall not be ashamed Iudgement also will I lay to the line and righteousness to the plummet and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lyes and the waters shall overflow their hiding-places That this corner-stone and sure foundation is Christ that suffered at Ierusalem we are infallibly informed by those that were truly inspired the blessed Apostles That the refuge of lyes and hiding-place is most naturally applicable to this skulking Family is apparent in that the summe of their Religion is nothing but a bundle of lying Allegories and Canting Terms whereby they deal falsly with men and under the pretence of fine Mystical speeches would thrust out of the World the choicest and most beneficiall Truth that ever was imparted to the Sons of men I mean the Truth of the Gospel in the plain simplicity thereof whereby we are so clearly taught what we are to be to do and to expect And the Storm that shall overtake them and the Deluge that shall fall in upon them in their hidden dwellings shall be those Torrents of Reason and that irresistible conviction from the sincere and true-hearted followers of Christ. Tell me therefore O ye conceitedly-inspired whose phancies have blown you above Gospel-dispensations why do you run into the errour of the Jews and refuse this precious corner-stone this sure foundation and build upon disunited Sand and rotten Quagmires that will bear no weight Why do you lay aside Christ in the truth of his History the most palpable pledge of Divine Providence of God's Reconciliation to men and of future Happiness that ever was exhibited to the World and chuse for your Guide a mere Allegorical Whisler an Idol-Puppet dressed up in words and phrases filched out of the Scripture but perverting and eluding the main scope and most usefull meaning thereof Why have ye forsaken the only-begotten Sonne of God and given your selves up to the deceivable conduct of a mere carnall man and wholy destitute not only of true faith in God and Christ but of all substantial Knowledge and Reason Why are you so rash and giddy as to believe one that only testifies of himself and is so impudent a Plagiary as to offer you no wares but such as he has stolne from you if you pretend to be of the Christian Church and those so poisoned and adulterated that you cannot receive them without the danger of being struck into a misbelief of the truth of Christs Gospel and of revolting from him to whom so many illustrious Prophecies of old so many Miracles done by himself to whom his wonderfull Resurrection from the dead and audible voices from Heaven while he was living gave ample testimony that he was indeed the true Son of God 4. What indearing evidence or argument has this Mercer of Amsterdam given you of true compassion and love to mankinde that you should vaunt him so transcendent a Mystagogus in so divine a Mystery that you equalize him to nay exalt him above Christ and his Apostles Did he not live a lazy easie soft life as other rich Shop-keepers do whenas not only our Saviour himself but also his Apostles lived an hard Asketick life full of dangers and afflictions also from without Let S. Paul speak for the rest for they were in a manner all of them in the same case and might justly expostulate with these high fanatick Pretenders in the same words Are they Ministers of Christ I speak like a fool I am more in labours more abundant in stripes above measure in prisons more frequent in deaths often Of the Iews received I fourty stripes save one thrice was I beaten with rods once was I stoned thrice I suffered shipwrack a night and a day have I been in the Deep in Iourneyings often in perils of water in perils of Robbers in perils by mine own Countreymen in perils by the Heathen in perils in the City in perils in the wildernesse in perils at the sea in perils among false brethren in wearinesse and painfulnesse in watchings often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in cold and nakednesse c. To all which you may adde very despightfull and torturous deaths which most of them underwent at last and all this out of a faithfull love to their Lord and Master Jesus Christ and a dear regard to the good and Salvation of mankinde But what was it wherewith this H. N.
Madness by the formal Pharisee 12. His Proneness to judge the true Christian according to the motions of his own untamed corruptions 13. His prudent choice of the vice of Covetousness 14. The Unreasonableness of his censure of those that endeavour after Perfection 15. His ignorant surmise that no man liveth vertuously for the love of Vertue it self 16. The Usefulness of this Parallelisme betwixt the Reproach of Christ and his true Members 1. AND thus you have seen Christ vindicated from all those several Suspicions and Aspersions laid upon him by malicious and ignorant men whereby they would represent him as not possessed of nor acting from so Noble and Divine a Principle of Righteousness as he himself profest and his Followers have ever witnessed of him In which I confess I have been something more large then might have been expected in pleading the cause of a Person so perfectly pure and innocent But I considering our Saviour Christ not so much in himself as in his members I mean his true members who have one common Spirit with him and how they are liable to the same accusations and misconstructions of spightfull and inconsiderate men that himself was in the flesh I thought it fit more fully to insist upon the clearing and well and rightly interpreting of all the Carriages of Christ that thereby those that call themselves his members may know better how to interpret one another or if they be not so themselves that they may however learn not to judge rashly and inconsiderately of them that are and walk indeed as he walked And that my foregoing pains may be the more effectual to this purpose I shall not stick to second them so far as to shew how men ordinarily cast the same or the like soil and dirt upon the truest members of Christ that they did upon Christ himself 2. And that you may take in this with the more evidence give me leave to prefix in your mind the right Image of a true Christian or living member of Christ. And such an one is he who is a branch of the same Vine has derived into him the same sap and Life partakes of one and the same Divine spirit with Christ the fruit whereof is to love God with all a mans heart and with all his Soul and his neighbour as himself and to doe so to others as he himself would be done to And that I may not name that only which seems nothing in too many mens eyes I add also To know and acknowledge the only true God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent And surely whosoever has this in its due measure and vigour of life is conscious to himself and finds the sweet of so great and glorious an accomplishment of Mind that whatever the Wit or Humour of man can add to it will seem of little more value then dust and straws we tread under our feet 3. And now I have told you what a true and living Member of Christ is let me also tell you what a false or titular or Pharisaical Christian is And he is this One that has not the Divine Sap or Spirit derived to him as being and growing in and becoming one with the true Vine Christ Jesus and is not possess'd nor is sensible of that Sufficiency Joy and Satisfaction that is in the inward Life of Christ and the Spirit of Righteousness and eternal and undispensable Truth of God But being dead to what is most necessary pretious and saving in Christianity and only alive or mainly to the Spirit of the world loves himself with all his heart and all his soul and God and his Neighbour only for his own sake or rather uses and rides his Neighbour having haltered him or obliged him with some prudentially and judiciously-bestowed courtesies and worships God rather then loves him nè noceat beseeching him that upon a special Dispensation though he be no better then others nor ever intends nor hopes to be better yet that it may be better with him in the end then with other folk Let me die the death of the righteous and let my latter end be like his Or it may be what is little better then that in stead of the living Righteousness of Christ he will magnifie himself in some humorous pieces of Holiness of his own For he imagines there is a God and that it is safe to make a friend of him one way or other and therefore that his conscience may be the better excused from those things that are more weighty and substantial he will take up things according to his own humour and phansie as fasting twice in the week making long prayers hearing long sermons sticking curiously to some unnecessary uncertain and fruitless opinions concerning God and Religion such as are warrantable neither out of Scripture nor Reason and growing very hot and zealous in the agitation of these things though to the Disturbance of the Church of God and Injury of his Neighbour yet these trinkets and trumperies of his own humour and complexion this Heat this Noise this Zeal these are the Altar Fire and Holocaust wherewith he sacrifices to God and presents himself an Oblationer before the Almighty And all this to be excused from that which is the very End of all Religion and Worship that is the sacrificing of our own corrupt life and acquiring that prize that is set before us the holy Spirit of Righteousness Equity and Purity whose moderation and guidance is the Light of the world and the Life of man 4. And having thus though but loosely and rudely scattered the delineaments of these two opposite professours of Christianity the true Christian and Pharisaical Humorist I shall from hence as from the Cause and Original derive evidence and light to what I shall now propose to you by way of Parallelisme betwixt what our Saviour in his own person suffered of false Accusations and Aspersions and what his true and living Members are obnoxious to from that Spirit of Pharisaisme that has ever and does to this very day rule still in the world And first of the first Accusation that was laid to our Saviours charge viz. Blasphemy He hath spoken Blasphemy Matth. 26. It is apparent the Pharisaical nature being desirous to be excused from destroying and bringing to nothing in ones self all haughty and ambitious Designes Self-seeking Covetousness and Intemperance doth easily endeavour to make amends for this and to pacifie the conscience and approve ones self to God by laying out all our parts in spinning excellent high Subtilties and amazing Mysteries from any hints taken in Scripture and in adorning the nature of God and Religion according to the garishness of a mans own natural Phansie and Nicety of Wit Whence it may come to pass that these Traditionary Pharisees having made it their business to rack their natural unregenerate minds to find some magnificent conceptions as they imagine them to bestow upon the Deity that one freed by Christ
Formalist perceiving nothing of pleasure and sweetness in Holiness and Vertue in himself if he observe others much devoted thereunto that he must judge them to make use of those things for some other more pleasant enjoiment as Praise and Applause or a future Reward and that they are not delighted with the things themselves Whenas certainly a true member of Christ and one really regenerate into his Image could no more cease from pleasing himself and enjoying himself in the sense and conscience of this Divine Life and the results thereof all holy and becoming actions then the Natural man can cease from the enjoiments of the Body though he knows ere long his Body shall afford him no more enjoiments And yet I must also add That it is the next door to an Impossibility that one that is become thus Divine should not have his Heart fully fraught with the most precious hopes of future Immortality and Glory He asked life of thee and thou gavest him even a long life for ever and ever 16. I have now finished my Parallelisme betwixt the Revilements cast upon our Saviour and those that his truest Members may be obnoxious to Which pains I think I have not at all misplaced they tending only to the stopping of the mouths of carnal Censurers and the animating sincere Christians that they may not be discouraged from following so excellent an Example by the affronts and reproaches of the World but that they may know their own Innocency Safety and Freedome while they keep in the true way that is in Christ the Son of God who making us free we become free indeed that is free from the deceits of our own lusts and free from the awe and terrour of imperious and superstitious men that would obtrude their own Errours upon us with as much earnestness and make them as indispensable as the infallible Oracles of God We having therefore spoken what things we thought most requisite concerning The Example of Christ we proceed now to his Passion which is the fifth Power of the Gospel CHAP. XV. 1. The Passion of Christ the fifth Gospel-Power the Virtue whereof is in a special manner noted by our Saviour himself 2. That the Brazen Serpent in the Wilderness was a prophetick Type of Christ and cured not by Art but by Divine Power 3. That Telesmatical Preparations are superstitious manifest out of their Collections that write of them 4. Particularly out of Gaffarel and Gregory 5. That the Effects of Telesmes are beyond the laws of Nature 6. That if there be any natural power in Telesmes it is from Similitude with a confutation of this ground also 7. A further confutation of that ground 8. In what sense the Brazen Serpent was a Telesme and that it must needs be a Typical Prophecie of Christ. 9. The accurate and punctual Prefiguration therein 10. The wicked Pride and Conceitedness of those that are not touched with this admirable contrivance of Divine Providence 11. The insufferable blasphemy of them that reproach the Son of God for crying out in his dreadfull Agony on the Cross wherein is discovered the Unloveliness of the Family of Love 1. AND truly this fifth Gospel-Power the Passion of Christ is of so great efficacy and concernment that our Saviour seems with more then ordinary delight to have ruminated on the wonderfull effects that it would have in the world John 12.32 And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me signifying thereby what death he should die as the Text witnesses This shews what a powerful Engine our Saviour himself thought his Death would prove to draw all the World after him Which is a demonstration that the Mind of a Christian ought to dwell very much in the meditation of the Death and Passion of Christ. The use whereof appears in another intimation of our Saviour's though more Typical yet the Analogie is so plain that no man can miss it John 3. And as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness so shall the Son of man be lifted up That whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal life This is so perfect a Representation of our Saviours Passion that I cannot but blame my self for not entring it amongst other Prophecies that I alledged for the Messiah's suffering 2. And it will still appear more plainly that it was intended a Prefiguration or Typical Prophecie of Christ if we consider that Moses was not put upon it by any natural skill as if the Effigies of this Brazen Serpent did by any power of Art or Nature heal the Israelites of their bitings of the fiery flying Serpent But it was an immediate direction of God by whose supernatural power the cure was wrought As the Authour of the Book of Wisdome expresly has noted namely That he that turned towards that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he styles it the sign of Salvation was not saved by the thing that he saw but by him that is the Saviour of all For beside that the whole mystery of Telesmes is but a superstitious foolery much-a-kin to and dependent of that groundless Pretence of such wonderfull influences as the ancient Pagan Ignorance attributed to the Stars the very matter of this Serpent was inconvenient and improper for this Effect as Interpreters on the place have observed To which I might add that there is not any example of any Telesmes that were ever known to cure the diseasement after this sort that is by only looking thereunto And that those that have been made against Scorpions or other hurtfull Creatures they have chaced them out of the place or killed them upon the Spot but if any one were stung by these venomous Serpents there was a tactual application of the Remedy to him that was hurt 3. And yet I will not so much stand upon this as that the whole business of Telesmatical Preparations is superstitious and that they have no Effect by any natural Virtue or Influence This methinks I plainly discover out of their Collections that seem most pleased in the representing of these Curiosities to the eye of the world in their Writings Gaffarel especially who does with plenty of words but no reason at all endeavour to make us believe that the power of Telesmes is natural but I never knew any cause managed with more slight more loose and more frivolous arguments in my daies But out of his own mouth I shall be able to condemn him and upon these two accounts First in that according to his own Conjectures and Relations the erecting and preparing of these Telesmes is as we contend superstitious or paganically Religious and then secondly That the effects of them where they have any are plainly beyond the power of any natural cause 4. As for the first himself does profess that he is of opinion that the first Gods of the Latines which they called Averrunci or Dii Tutelares were no other then these Telesmatical Images And his reason is
them reproach the person of Christ in his highest Agonies on the Crosse and impute that to a sinful weaknesse and imperfection that was but the due effect of the weight of his Sufferings who bore the Sins of the whole world and made an atonement with God for them Yet because he cryed out in the words of that Psalme which is a lively Prophecie of his Sufferings My God my God why hast thou forsaken me therefore must that Fanatick Fool of Amsterdam and his illuminate Elders that boast so much of Perfection be more perfect then the Son of God himself whose certain appearance in the World is so clearly demonstrated out of the ancient Prophecies of the Old Testament and so manifestly ratified by the Miracles recorded in the New 11. I appeal to all men if Satan himself could vent any thing more despightful and scornful against the endearing sufferings of our ever-blessed Saviour who out of tender love to Mankind underwent those dreadful agonies of Death and waded through the heavy wrath of God for sinners then these Wretches have that would recommend themselves to the VVorld under the false Flourish and Hypocritical Title of the Family of Love whereas by antiquating the use of the Passion of Christ and thus villainously reproaching Christ upon the Crosse they demonstrate to all the world that they have not the least sense or skill in so Divine a Mystery but are wicked Apostates from God who is that pure and Divine Love and Underminers of the Kingdome of his Son Jesus Christ In which neither such high-flown Enthusiasts nor any dry churlish Reasoners and Disputers shall have either part or portion till they lay down those Gigantick humours and become as our Saviour Christ who is the unerring Truth has prescribed like little Children for of such as these onely is the Kingdome of Heaven as the Prince of that Kingdome has declared These therefore he embraced and blessed when he was alive these he dying on the Crosse stretched out his armes to receive to these he wept drops of bloud that they might shed tears for these he was scourged that they might chastise the exorbitancy of their own lusts and evil concupiscences for these he shed his most precious bloud that they might die to Sin and live to Righteousnesse by that power which raised Jesus Christ from the dead This is the Foolishness of the Crosse a Scandal not onely for such as are Unbelievers but even to many of them also that would be accounted zealous and knowing Christians CHAP. XVI 1. The End of Christs Sufferings not onely to pacifie Conscience but to root out Sin witnessed out of the Scripture 2. Further Testimonies to the same purpose 3. The Faintnesse and Uselesnesse of the Allegory of Christs Passion in comparison of the Application of the History thereof 4. The Application of Christs Sufferings against Pride and Covetousnesse 5. As also against Envy Hatred Revenge vain Mirth the Pangs of Death and unwarrantable Love 6. A General Application of the Death of Christ to the mortifying of all Sin whatsoever 7. The celebrating the Lords Supper the use and meaning thereof 1. BUT that this is the meaning of Christs Sufferings that is That we should also suffer in the Flesh and mortifie our sinfull members besides what our Saviour himself has intimated in comparing himself to the Brazen Serpent in the VVildernesse the sight whereof did not onely asswage the pain of them that were bitten but take away the poison whence we may reasonably conclude that the looking on Christ on the Crosse is not onely to heal the Stings of Conscience upon sin committed but to destroy the Poison and corruption of Sin out of us that we may not sin any more is plain in that the Apostles themselves also do urge the Use of Christ Crucified to both those ends and purposes Saint Iohn 1 Epist. chap. 2. My little Children these things write I unto you that you sin not But if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins But this use of the Crosse namely Propitiation and the Peace of Conscience all men catch at There is more need of producing such places as shew the other use thereof for the Mortification of our sins That of Saint Peter 1 Epist. chap. 4. is very expresse For asmuch therefore as Christ has suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same minde for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God For the time past of our lives may suffice to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness lust excesse of wine revelling banquettings and abominable Idolatries To which sense he speaks at least as fully Chap. 2. ver 19. For this is thank-worthy if a man for conscience towards God endure grief suffering wrongfully For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps Who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously who his own self bare our sins in his own Body on the tree that we being dead to Sin should live unto Righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed For ye were as Sheep going astray but are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls What can warrant the use of the Crosse for the cure of sins more plainly then this 2. But we will hear also what Saint Paul saith 2 Tim. chap. 2. ver 11. This is a faithful saying If we be dead with Christ then shall we also live with him if we suffer we shall also reign with him if we deny him he will also deny us This is most certainly true as well of inward Mortification as of outward trouble and the mention of the death of Christ is to support our Spirits in the enduring of both And Philip. 3. ver 10. That I may know Christ and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death viz. That as Christ died upon the Crosse so he might be crucified to the world and all the vain Lusts thereof and those that walk otherwise he cannot but proclaim them enemies to the Crosse of Christ whose God is their belly and whose glory is their shame who minde earthly things ver 18. And Galat. 6.14 But God forbid that I should glory save in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by which the world is crucified to me and I unto the world that is The world is but a dead spectacle to me my affections being dead to it I will close all with that excellent place Rom. 6.3 Know ye not that as
many of us as were baptized into the Lord Iesus Christ were baptized into his death Therefore we are buried with him by Baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newnesse of life For if we have been planted together in the likenesse of his death we shall be also in the likenesse of his Resurrection Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroied that henceforth we might not serve sin For he that is dead is freed from sin 3. You see how the most urgent Exhortations of the Apostles to kill and overcome our Lusts are back'd and edged if you will with a reflexion upon the Crucifixion of our Saviour Which allusion if it were no more then that odde perverse Sect which I have so often named would make it who desire to allegorize away the whole History of Christ to a mere Fable as if it were nothing but a mere fictitious Representation of things to be morally transacted in us truly the Argument were nothing For the death of a Ram or a Goat would serve to represent the sacrificing of our sensual Lusts rather better then the death of Christ who was so innocent a person But the stress of the Argument lyes in this That a person not onely so immaculate and innocent but so holy and sacred so honourable and Divine that the Son of the living God declared so from Heaven foretold evidently by the mouths of the most infallible Prophets and that at the distance of so many Ages and undeniably demonstrated to be such by his own Miracles and by that Miracle of Miracles his Resurrection from the dead and his visible Ascension into Heaven in the eyes of his Disciples that this so noble and Divine a Person that this Son of God should in dear Compassion and Love to Mankinde give himself up not onely to a poor despicable beggarly life but be contented to be whipped and scourged and put to a death both painful and shameful with Thieves and Malefactors and this merely to atone the wrath of God and open the gates of Heaven to bewildred mankind that were wandring further and further from their primeval Happiness This is such an Argument as would melt the hardest Heart and awake the dullest Understanding into a quick and chearful apprehension of that duty that so nearly concerns him viz. to be if it were possible more resolvedly willing to die to all his sins and worldly vanities then Christ was to lay down his life to redeem him from them 4. This mighty Power of the Death of Christ is of such invincible efficacy to them that will but seriously dwell upon the Meditation thereof that no strong hold of Sin will be able to resist it no evil and inordinate affection but the consideration of this Passion will calm keep under and utterly subdue The very counting the circumstances of his Sufferings will put us out of conceit even with those Vices that we have most familiarly entertained and still all those Perturbations and Disquietnesses of Minde that the crossest accidents of the World and our own Weakness can expose us to Art thou a lover of money how canst thou abstain from blushing whilst thou remembrest that Covetousnesse betraied and sold thy Saviour for thirty pieces of Silver or refrain from communicating thy goods to the poor when Christ has been so prodigal of his bloud for thee Art thou proud how canst thou but be ashamed to exalt thy self when the onely-begotten Son of God took upon him the form of a Man yea of the lowest sort of men and humbled himself and became obedient to death even the reproachful death of the Crosse that he might teach us Humility that the same minde might be in us that was in him as the Apostle speaks Art thou neglected scorned or reviled Thy Saviour was buffetted mocked and spit upon Are thy Inferiours preferred before thee Barabbas was held a more worthy person then Iesus Are thy friends false to thee Christ was betraied by Iudas with a kisse Dost thou fall from or fall short of thy expected honours Iesus wore no earthly Crown but that of Thorns nor Scepter but a Reed nor any Robe but such as the abusive Souldiers put on him to make legs to him and mock him Art thou traduced for one as not sound in thy Religion Thy Saviour was accused as a Blasphemer What motion therefore or disturbance of Pride shall be able to disquiet thy minde if thou do but reflect on thy Saviours Sufferings 5. And for Envy Hatred and Revenge how canst thou harbour the least touch or sense of them while thou lookest upon him who out of love laid down his life for us even then when we were Enemies to him yea for those very persons that crucified him praying unto God for them Father forgive them for they know not what they do And if thou be transportable into vain Mirth what can better calm that giddy temper then the remembrance of his Sadnesse whose Soul was sorrowful even unto death And if the highest and most searching Afflictions attempt thee what can more strongly arm thy Patience then if thou ruminate on that bitter cup the consideration whereof put thy Saviour into such an Agony that he sweat drops of bloud that fell down to the ground And lastly if Lust and Wantonness do assault thy Soul the most present Remedy is the contemplation of thy dying Lord and Master who with his out-stretched arms on the Crosse to embrace thee presents himself a Corrival in thy strongest Affections Look upon his inclined Head not crowned with roses but wounded with thorns view his half-closed Eyes heretofore filled and beautified with lucid Spirits whose milde motions were the perpetual Interpreters of his Kindness and Compassion to the Sons of men but now overcast with the heavy cloud of Death Kisse his cold and pale Lips and receive his last breath and tell me if thou didst not hear this whisper in it Canst thou love any thing better then me who out of love do undergo this painfull and reproachfull death for thee 6. But what I have appropriated to this foolish Passion of Wantonnesse may equally take place in any inordinate affection and our Saviour may justly expostulate how unkindly how ungrateful he is dealt with when his pretended Disciples refuse to mortifie any lust whatsoever for him who gave up himself to death for them This consideration is so urgent and convictive that none that have the least spark of Ingenuity can be able to resist it And therefore whatever conceited high-flown Fools may imagine of the Cross of Christ and the meditation of his Crucifixion as a thing that may rather fit Children in Christianity then grown men I say it is the great Power of God to Salvation and so long as a man findes any sin in him he is to have recourse
they being given up into the power of those deformed Fiends of Hell the very thoughts of whose sight and company might be enough to affright any man that is not Atheistically sortish from assimilating himself to those nasty Gaol-birds by repeated acts of Vice and Wickedness Besides what smart of punishment shall reach both their outward Senses and guilty Consciences by the inevitable rod of God's Justice upon them 3. VVherefore it is most indispensably rational to use this VVorld as if we used it not and to addict our selves to such Pleasures as are most proper to the other State such as are those most delicious touches senses of the Divine Love or that pure and intellectual Affection which S. Paul calls Charity VVhereby we delight in the good of another as if it were our own whereby we rejoice in the wisdome goodness of God displaied his Creatures whereby we ardently desire the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ infinitely before any private advantage whatsoever and do faithfully assist and earnestly expect the joyful accomplishment and finishing of the great Mystery of Godliness in the fullest period thereof to a final Triumph over Sin and Satan and a perfect Redemption of the Church of Christ into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God 4. These are the warrantable Pleasures of the Soul that has a designe upon the Life to come of a Soul that is risen with Christ and therefore seeks those things that are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God And upon this very consideration the Apostle enforceth his Exhortation Colos. 3. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon earth Fornication Uncleannesse inordinate Affection evil Concupiscence and Covetousness which is Idolatry And our Saviour in his Sermon on the Mount Lay not up for your selves treasures upon Earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal But lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt nor thieves break through and steal For where your treasure is there will your heart be also And therefore Saint Paul professes of himself and exhorts others to imitate him that his minde is wholly taken up with those things which are above Philip. 3.17 Brethren be followers of me and mark them that walk so as ye have us for an example For our conversation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our municipal affairs our negotiations of greatest concernment are in Heaven of which City we are and from whence we look for our Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like to his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself 5. And verily he that through Faith is once possest of these things it is a wonder to me how he can think of any thing else As the Prisoner could not abstain from the pleasure of thinking of the known day of his Liberty or a poor man of an Inheritance that would certainly fall to him within the term of few years And if it were Conditional as this of the Kingdome of Heaven is we may easily conceive how much he were concerned to have a care punctually to observe the Conditions propounded or earnestly to endeavour to get such Qualifications as that he may not forfeit the enjoiment of that Fortune which otherwise would naturally fall to his share And how they are to be qualified that are to be Heires of that everlasting Inheritance the Scripture doth plainly set out there must no unclean thing enter into the Holy City None can be Heirs of this Kingdome but the sons of God nor any be the sons of God but those that are led by the Spirit of God Rom. 8. And what are the Fruits and Effects of that domestick Guide the Apostle has plainly told us already Galat. 5. That the fruits of the Spirit are Love Ioy Peace Long-suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Meekness Temperance And they that are Christs in whose Title alone it is that we can lay claim to Heaven have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts And again Rom. 8. If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live that is to say ye shall live the life of Peace and Joy and Righteousness here and of Eternal Glory hereafter 6. Wherefore we see what an urgent Power the Meditation of future Happiness is to the Believer to make him endeavour to the utmost to be Partaker of the Divine Nature and to aspire to a due measure of Holiness without which we shall necessarily be frustrate of our expected Happiness The consideration whereof cannot but wean him from all the exorbitant desires of the Pleasures Profits or Honours of this World Which though they had not intermingled with them many vexations and distasts much care and solicitude but were certain for this life and entire yet Life being uncertain and the longest terme thereof but like a Dream or a Post that goes by in comparison of our future abode elsewhere I dare leave it to the worldly mans own computation what a pittiful bargain he has made in forgoing what is to come for these temporary Enjoyments worse far then he that sold his Birth-right for a mess of Pottage But I shall not dilate any further on so plain a matter All the Wit and Rhetorick of Man cannot move him whom those known but weighty Words of our Saviour will not VVhat will it profit a man to gain the whole VVorld and to lose his own Soul CHAP. XVIII 1. The Day of Judgement the seventh and last Gospel-power fit as well for the regenerate as the unregenerate to think upon 2. The Uncertainty of that Day and that it will surprize the wicked unawares 3. That those that wilfully reject the offers of Grace hâ—re shall be in better condition after Death then the Devils themselves are 4. A Description of the sad Evening-close of that terrible Day of the Lord. 5. The Affrightment of the Morning-appearance thereof to the wicked 6. A further Description thereof 7. The Translation of the Church of Christ to their Aethereal Mansions with a brief Description of their Heavenly Happinesse 1. WE come now to the Seventh and last Power of the Gospel which is The consideration of the dreadful Solemnity of the Day of Iudgement the very mention whereof from the mouth of Paul made Felix the Governour to tremble And I must confess it is so hard an Engine that it is more fit to beat upon the obdurate hearts of the Unbeliever and Unregenerate that are crusted over with Iron and Flint then for battery against the truly Regenerate and sincere Believers for those other Powers of the Gospel are more proper and abundantly sufficient for carrying them on with courage and constancy in the waies of God But there is in the Day of Iudgement an Object not
of this blessed happy condition Which designe is of so high consequence that I shall hold my self very defective in my treating thereof unless I adde also what would be serviceable for direction touching the entrance into this New Covenant we have described and for our advance and progress in the same Which we shall doe by shewing the adequate Object thereof the true Principle that moves us to covenant and the most effectual means to make us faithfull pursuers of what we first purposed and agreed to CHAP. VIII 1. The adequate Object of saving Faith or Christian Covenant 2. That there is an Obligation on our parts plain from the very Inscription of the New Testament 3. What the meaning of Bloud in Covenants is 4. And answerably what of the Bloud of Christ in the Christian Covenant 5. The dangerous Errour and damnable Hypocrisie of those that would perswade themselves and others that no performance is required on their side in this Covenant 6. That the Heavenly Inheritance is promised to us only upon Condition evinced out of several places of Scripture 1. THE adequate Object of saving Faith or Christian Covenant For I mean by Covenant our faithfull and sincere closing with the terms of the Gospel is that which we ordinarily call The New Testament that is to say those concerning Truths that are there upon record as well Precepts as Promises all these are to be believed and assented to Or to speak yet more comprehensively All that Christ is said there to have done or suffered to have acted or procured for us whatever good he has done for us already or promised for the future on his part this is to be believed without any evil suspicion or wavering And what on our part is required to be done is also with a free and plenary purpose of minde to be accepted and promised and with all stedfastness and sincerity to the utmost of our power to be endeavoured after without any fraud or tergiversation without any elusive tricks or perverse misconstructions of the holy Precepts of the Gospel 2. For the very Inscription of this Record we call the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bears before it the Notion of a Covenant that is of mutual obligation though it may also signifie a New Law Which title would more roughly confute those Hypocritical Flatterers both of themselves and their Followers who by their deceitfull Interpretations would make them believe that nothing is expected on our hand in this Gospel-dispensation And besides a Law is not for nothing defined in Aristotle by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Covenant it being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Lycophron has defined it The Law being our common sponsour or undertaker that there shall be just dealing betwixt party and party Nor can they decline the truth we aim by pretending that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is only the New Testament in such a sense as relates to dying men and therefore may signifie a right conveied to another without any mutual obligation For in this sense it cannot be called a New Testament because there was no Old one answering to it For the Law of God or Covenant by Moses could not be called a Testament in this sense For God the Father did not die nor is Moses his Law any Legacy or last Will and Testament in reference to Moses his death 3. It remains therefore that Christianity is an obligatory Covenant whereby party is tied to party that is God to man and man to God that the Mediatour of this Covenant is Iesus Christ whose bloud shed upon the Cross is the bloud of this Covenant as your most sacred and solemn Covenants amongst the Nations and with the Jews too were as I have above intimated with the sprinkling of bloud Which Ceremonie of sacrificing and effusion of bloud was nothing but an insinuation of a mutual imprecation or commination of the highest evil to one another if they dealt treacherously in the Covenant Grotius produces an ancient form of the Pagan Religion which is express to this purpose Qui prior defexit tu illum Iupiter sic ferito ut ego hunc porcum hodie feriam tantóque magis quanto magis potes pollésque And so the Trojans and Graecians making a solemn Covenant and religiously obliging one another to stand to the terms thereof upon the sacrificing of lambs and pouring out a drink-offering to the Gods one uttered this Imprecation or Commination indifferently to either party that should prove false 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thrice great and glorious Iove and ye the Gods His Heavenly Senators which of these twain First break this solemn League and fall at odds As doth this Wine so may their scattered Brain Pash'd from their cursed sculls the pavement stain 4. From this general notion and meaning of the Bloud in the sanction of Covenants we may the better understand what is the meaning thereof in that Covenant which God has made with us through the bloud of Christ. For at his last Passion he called the Wine his bloud of the New Covenant to be shed for many for the remission of Sins that is for peace and reconciliation betwixt God and man But in these solemn Leagues Pacifications and Covenants which were made with bloud though it were a Ceremonie of agreement yet the effusion of bloud did not cease to be of a comminatory signification for those that were faithless in their Covenant So it is also much more with the bloud of the Son of God As the peace is of higher concernment so is the breach of Covenant of the greater danger This the Authour to the Hebrews does expresly take notice of and shews that upon wilfull misdemeanours and perverse revoltings from God the expiatory and pacificatory virtue of the bloud of Christ then ceases and the comminatory part takes place Hebr. 10.26 For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins but a certain fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries He that despised Moses law died without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much severer punishment think ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the bloud of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despight unto the Spirit of grace And therefore as S. Peter speaks 2 Epist. 2. It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness then after they have known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them Which persons he decyphers in he foregoing verse That they were such as had escaped the pollutions of the World through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ but were again entangled therein and overcome being brought into the bondage of sin by giving place to the deceitfull doctrines of
Reprobationers have defined it namely That God has irresistibly decreed from all Eternity to bring into Being innumerable Myriads of Souls of men exceeding far the number of them that shall be saved who as without their own consent they were thus thrust into the World so let them doe what they will are certainly determined to unspeakable torment so soon as they go out of it and at the last day shall be adjudged to an higher degree of misery so great and so exceeding that all the racks and tortures that the Wit or Cruelty of the most enraged Tyrants could ever invent or execute would be ease and pleasure in Comparison of it and that these Pangs and Torments shall remain fresh upon them for ever and ever 8. This is the Representation of that sour Dogma Which to Reason is as contradictious as if one should name a square Circle or black Light and as harsh and horrid to the eares of the truly-Regenerate into the nature of God who is Love it self as the highest blasphemie that can be uttered Nor is the nature of those that are irreligious enough so much estranged from the Knowledge of God but that they think if there be any at all he cannot be such a one that laid such dark plots from all eternity for the everlasting misery of his poor impotent and unresisting Creature that never did any thing but what the Divine Decrees determined he should doe and therefore was alwaies the Almighties obedient servant For which at last he must be condemned to eternall punishment by him whom he did ever obey The serious and imperious obtrusion of such a dismal Conceit as this for one of the greatest Arcanums of Religion will make the free Spirit and over-inclinable to Prophaneness confidently to conclude That the whole frame of Religion is nothing but a mere Scar-crow to affright Fools and that there is no Hell at all since such Innocent Persons and constant Obeyers of the Divine Decrees must be the Inhabiters ot it CHAP. III. 1. The true Measure of Opinions to be taken from the designe of the Gospel which in general is The setting out the exceeding great Mercy and Goodness of God towards mankinde 2. And then Secondly The Triumph of the Divine Life in the Person of Christ in the warrantableness of doing Divine Honour to him 3. Thirdly The advancement of the Divine Life in his members upon Earth 4. The Fourth and last Rule to try Opinions by The Recommendableness of our Religion to Strangers or those those that are without 1. I Might adde several other Opinions in several parts of Christendome that tend very much to the defeating and eluding the serious End and purpose of Religion but before I go any further I shall set down the main designes of the Gospel of Christ that we may have a more plain and sure Rule and Measure to try all Opinions by The designe therefore of the Gospel in general is the magnifying of the Goodness and Loving-kindness of God that he has afforded mankinde so glorious a light to walk by so effectual means to redeem them from the love of the perishing vanities of this present world and to recall them back again to himself and to the participation of the ineffable joyes pleasures of his celestial Kingdom For God so loved the World that he gave his only-begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life For God sent not his Son into the World to condemn the World but that the World through him should be saved And Titus 3. For we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another But after that the Kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared Not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Iesus Christ our Saviour To which sense also the Apostle speaks Ephes. chap. 2. And you who were dead in trespasses and sins Wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the Aire the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of our fleshly minde and were by nature the children of wrath even as others But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ by grace ye are saved and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Iesus That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Iesus Christ. To which lastly you may adde Tit. 2.11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world c. These Scriptures give plain testimony of this more general designe of the Gospel 2. The next designe is an external exaltation of the Divine Life that did so mightily and conspicuously appear in the Person of our Saviour Christ as I have already abundantly declared How the mystery of Christianity comprehends in it chiefly this designe of exalting into Triumph the Divine Life above the Animal and Natural and that either externally in the religious worship we do our Saviour and is done even by Hypocrites and wicked Persons or else internally in the advancing of true Faith and Holiness in his living members and sincere followers of his doctrine Philip. 2. Let the same minde be in you which was in Christ Iesus Who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God But emptied himself and took upon him the forme of a servant and was made in likeness of men And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient to the death even the death of the Cross. Wherefore hath God also exalted him and given him a name above every name That at the name of Iesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth and that every tongue should confess that Iesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father And Hebr. 1. Thy throne O God is for ever and ever the Scepter of righteousness is the Scepter of thy Kingdom Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oile of gladness above thy fellows that is to say hath exalted thee to this due honour and rule having put all things under his feet Angels themselves not excepted as S. Peter tells us 1 Epist. 3.22 Who is gâ—ne into Heaven
Nature 7. The fourth Gospel-Power The Example of Christ. 8. His purpose of vindicating the Example of Christ from aspersions with the reasons thereof 408 CHAP. XIII 1. That Christ was no Blasphemer in declaring himself to be the Son of God 2. Nor Conjurer in casting out Devils 3. That he was unjustly accused of Prophaneness 4. That there was nothing detestable in his Neutrality toward Political Factions 5. Nor any Injustice nor Partiality found in him 6. Nor could his sharp Rebukes of the Pharisâ—es be rightly termed Railing 7. Nor his whipping the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple tumultâ—ary Zeal 8. Nor his crying out so dreadfully in his Passion be imputed to Impatience or Despair 9. The suspicion of Distractedness and Madness cleared 10. His vindication from their aspersions of Looseness and Prodigality 11. The câ—oâ—ked and perverse nature of the Pharisees noted with our Saviours own Apology for his frequenting all companies 12. That Christ was no Self-seeker in undergoing the Death of the Cross for that joy that was set before him 412 CHAP. XIV 1. The reason of his having insisted so long on the vindicating of the Life of Christ from the aspersions of the Malevolent 2. The true Character of a real Christian. 3. The true Character of a false or Pharisaical Christian. 4. How easily the true members of Christ are accused of Blasphemy by the Pharisaical Christians 5. And the working of their Graces imputed to some vicious Principle 6. Their censuring them prophane that are not superstitious 7. The Parisees great dislike of coldness in fruitless Controversies of Religion 8. Their Ignorance of the law of Equity and Love 9. How prone it is for the sincere Christian to be accounted a Railer for speaking the truth 10. That the least Opposition against Pharisaical Rottenness will easily be interpreted bitter and tumultuous Zeal 11. How the solid Knowledge of the perfectest Christians may be accounted Madness by the formal Pharisee 12. his Proneness to judge the true Christian according to the motions of his own untamed corruptions 13. His prudent choice of the vice of Covetousness 14. The Unreasonableness of his censure of those that endeavour after Perfection 15. His ignorant surmise that no man liveth vertuously for the love of Vertue it self 16. The Usefulness of this Parallelisme betwixt the Reproach of Christ and his true Members 422 CHAP. XV. 1. The Passion of Christ the fifth Gospel-Power the Virtue whereof is in a special manner noted by our Saviour himself 2. That the Brazen Serpent in the Wilderness was a prophetick Type of Christ and cured not by Art but by Divine Power 3. That Telesmatical Preparations are superstitious manifest out of their Collections that write of them 4. Particularly out of Gaffarel and Gregory 5. That the Effects of Telesmes are beyond the laws of Nature 6. That if there be any natural power in Telesmes it is from Similitude with a confutation of this ground also 7. A further confutation of that ground 8. In what sense the Brazâ—n Serpent was a Telesme and that it must needs be a Typical Prophecie of Christ. 9. The accurate and punctual Prefiguration therein 10. The wicked Pride and Conceitedness of those that are not touched with this admirable contrivance of Divine Providence 11. The insufferable balsphemy of them that reproach the Son of God for crying out in his dreadful Agony on the Cross wherein is discovered the Unloveliness of the Family of Love 429 CHAP. XVI 1. The End of Christs Sufferings not onely to pacifie Conscience but to root out Sin witnessed out of the Scripture 2. Further Testimonies to the same purpose 3. The Faintness and Uselesness of the Allegory of Chrâ—sts Passion in comparison of the Application of the History thereof 4 The Application of Christs Sufferings against Pride and Covetousness 5. As also against Envy Hâ—â—red Revenge vain Mirth the Pangs of Deaâ—h and unwarrantable Love 6. A General Application of the Death of Christ to the mortifying of all Sin whatsoever 7. The celebrating the Lords Supper the use and meaning thereof 436 CHAP. XVII 1. The sixth Gospel-Power is the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ. The priviledge of this Demonstration of the Soul's Immortality above that from the Subtilty of Reason and Philosophy 2. The great power this consideration of the Soul's Immortality has to urge men to a Godly life 3. To â—ean themselves from worldly pleasures and learn to delight in those that are everlasting 4. To have our Conversation in Heaven 5. The Conditions of the Everlasting Inheritance 6. Further enforcements of duty from the Soul's Immortality 440 CHAP. XVIII 1. The Day of Judgement the seventh and last Gospel-power fit as well for the regenerate as the unregenerate to think upon 2. The Uncertainty of that Day and that it will surprize the wicked unawares 3. That those that wilfully reject the offers of Grace here shall be in no better condition after Death then the Devils themselves are 4. A Description of the sad Evening-close of that terrible Day of the Lord. 5. The Affrightment of the Morning-appearance thereof to the wicked 6. A further Description thereof 7. The Translation of the Church of Christ to their Aethereal Mansions with a brief Description of their Heavenly Happiness 443 CHAP. XIX 1. That there can be no Religion more powerful for the promoting of the Divine Life then Christianity is 2. The external Triumph of the Divine Life in the person of Christ how throughly warranted and how fully performed 3. The Religious Splendour of Christendome 4. The Spirit of Religion stifled with the load of Formalities 5. The satisfaction that the faithfully-devoted Servants of Christ have from that Divine homage done to his Person though by the wicked 447 CHAP. XX. 1. The Usefulness of Christianity for the good of this life witnessed by our Saviour and S. Paul 2. The proof thereof from the Nature of the thing it self 3. Objections against Christianity as if it were an unfit Religion for States Politick 4. A Concession that the primary intention of the Gospel was not Government Political with the advantage of that Concession 5. That there is nothing in Christianity but what is highly advantageous to a State-Politick 6. That those very things they object against it are such as do most effectually reach the chief end of Political Government as doth Charity for example 7. Humility Patience and Mortification of inordinate desires 8. The invincible Valour that the love of Christ and their fellow-members inspires the Christian Souldiery withall 449 BOOK IX CHAP. I. THe four Derivative Properties of the Mystery of Godliness 2. That a measure of Obscurity begets Veneration suggested from our very senses 3. Confirmed also by the common suffrage of all Religions and the nature of Reservedness amongst men 4. The rudeness and ignorance of those that expect that every Divine Truth of Scripture should be a comprehensible Object of their understanding even in the very modes and